Introduction:
Homeless Canadian women have issues accessing feminine hygiene products. There are as many as 235,000 Canadians experiencing homelessness, with 27% being women.1 Menstruation is unavoidable, and lacking the resources to cope with the monthly issue leaves homeless women vulnerable to certain disease and prone to infection by resorting to homemade pads/tampons. Furthermore, a gap in research pertaining to this issue exists with very limited knowledge beyond the barriers to access. To address this issue an anthropological lens must be applied to research for understanding why and what limits access in this population.
Nature and Magnitude of Problem:
Homeless women are already at risk for poorer health outcomes stemming from having more complex health issues; menstruation. For women, menstruation is an unavoidable, monthly occurrence with costs for hygiene products being too great for those living below the poverty line. Sanitary pads and tampons cost upwards of $10 per month, or $120 per year, and in homeless women this could be the cost for food or bus fare2. Homeless women are left to choose between food, transit fare, or sanitary products, with the latter usually being replaced by self-made tampons/pads from tissue paper. The major issue which arises from having a lack of access to hygiene products is although shelters may supply …show more content…
Menstruation for homeless women is difficult as living on the street already challenges their dignity through stigma. The challenge to dignity plays a role in homeless culture by adding to the reasons to not seek access. Tough behaviors deter asking for help4, and menstruation is heavily perceived as a weakness. This combined with the fear of health care professionals resulting from stigma4 prevents homeless women from asking for necessities and resorting to D.I.Y
Homeless Canadian women have issues accessing feminine hygiene products. There are as many as 235,000 Canadians experiencing homelessness, with 27% being women.1 Menstruation is unavoidable, and lacking the resources to cope with the monthly issue leaves homeless women vulnerable to certain disease and prone to infection by resorting to homemade pads/tampons. Furthermore, a gap in research pertaining to this issue exists with very limited knowledge beyond the barriers to access. To address this issue an anthropological lens must be applied to research for understanding why and what limits access in this population.
Nature and Magnitude of Problem:
Homeless women are already at risk for poorer health outcomes stemming from having more complex health issues; menstruation. For women, menstruation is an unavoidable, monthly occurrence with costs for hygiene products being too great for those living below the poverty line. Sanitary pads and tampons cost upwards of $10 per month, or $120 per year, and in homeless women this could be the cost for food or bus fare2. Homeless women are left to choose between food, transit fare, or sanitary products, with the latter usually being replaced by self-made tampons/pads from tissue paper. The major issue which arises from having a lack of access to hygiene products is although shelters may supply …show more content…
Menstruation for homeless women is difficult as living on the street already challenges their dignity through stigma. The challenge to dignity plays a role in homeless culture by adding to the reasons to not seek access. Tough behaviors deter asking for help4, and menstruation is heavily perceived as a weakness. This combined with the fear of health care professionals resulting from stigma4 prevents homeless women from asking for necessities and resorting to D.I.Y